Cabbage and Smoked Sausage Soup

Even kids who don't care for vegetable soup may enjoy this one. Very good flavor. Sometimes I use crushed tomatoes with garlic, onion, or basil now that they're available. Turkey smoked sausage is great in this recipe!

INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced

3 cups water

1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

3 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice

1 (15 ounce) can red beans, with liquid

8 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 cubes chicken bouillon

salt to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

PREPARATION:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion until lightly browned. Place sausage in the pot, and pour in water. Mix in cabbage, carrots, celery, rice, beans, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Dissolve bouillon in the mixture. Season with salt, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook at least 1 hour, until vegetables are tender and rice is cooked.